Track-sanding apparatus



(No Model.)

O. P. MU RRY& J-. V. K. WALKER.

. TRACK SANDING APPARATUS.

No 509,234. Patented Nov. 21, 1 893.

WITNESSES. g i z U ITE STATES PATENT OFFICE.

OLIVER PLUNKETT MURRY AND JAMES V. K. WALKER, OF PORTSMOUTH, VIRGINIA,ASSIGNORS TO THE AUTOMATIC TRACK-SANDING COMPANY,

OF PORTLAND, MAINE.

TRACK-SANDING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 509,234, dated November21, 1893. Application filed March 1, 1893. Serial No. 464,166. (Nomodel.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, OLIVER PLUNKETT MURRY and J AMES V. K. WALKER, bothof Portsmouth, in the county of Norfolk and State of Virginia, haveinvented a new and Improved Track-Sanding Apparatus, of which thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact description.

The invention relates to track sanding apxo paratus connected with anair brake system,

and its object is to provide a new and improvedsanding apparatus, whichis simple and durable in construction, and automatically controlled fromthe engineers valve in such a manner that when the brake handle is infull release or in running position,

then the supply of sand to the track is shutoff, and when the handle ismoved to lap before applying the brakes, the sand commences to run tothe track and is forced thereon as soon as the engineers valve haudle ismoved to the fourth position known'as application of brake, and in casethe bandle is moved to the emergency stop a large quantity of sand isforced to the rail.

The invention consists of a valve operating 1n unison with the engineersbrake valve and controlling an air blast from the main air reservoir tothe sand discharge pipe.

Theinventiou also consists of certain parts and details, andcombinations of the same, as w1ll be hereinafter described, and thenpointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying 3 5 drawings, forming a partof this specification, in which similar letters of reference indicatecorresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the improvement as applied, parts of thecab being shown 0 in section. Fig. 2 is an enlarged plan view of theimprovement as attached to the engineers valve. Fig. 3 is an enlargedsectional side elevation of the improvement on the line 3-3 of Fig. 4.Fig. 4. is a sectional plan view 5 of the same on the line 4- of Fig. 3;and Fig. 5 is an inverted plan view of the air blastcontrolling valve.

On the locomotive A is arranged the usual sand box B provided with anoutlet pipe 0 having a U-shaped bend O and discharging at its lower end0 onto the track rail in front of the drive wheels. Into the bend O ofthe outlet pipe 0 extends the contracted nozzle- D of a pipe D mountedon the locomotive A and extending longitudinally to the rear into thecab of the locomotive to connect at the rear end with the airpipe Econnecting the main air reservoir F of the air brake system, with theengineers valve G, of any approved construction.

The engineers valve G controls and supports an air blast controllingvalve I-I connected by the pipes Iand J with the blast pipe D containinga valve K between the junction of the said pipes I and J with the blastpipe D. Thus, when the valve K is closed, air from the main reservoirFcan pass through the pipe E, part of the pipe D, and pipe I into thecasing K of the air blast controlling valve H, and from the casing theair can pass through the pipe J into the forward end of the pipe D to bedischarged through the nozzle D, into the bend (3, to force the sanddown the pipe 0 onto the track rails. The passage of air through thevalve casing 7 5 K is controlled by a disk valve L mounted to turn inthe casing K, and provided with a port a from which leads, on the underside of the disk valve, a channel or recess 1), as plainly shown in Fig.5.

The channel and port a are adapted to register with a port 0 leading tothe pipe J, it being understood that the other pipe I opens into thevalve casing K above the disk Valve L; see Fig. 3. The valve stem L ofthe disk 85 valve L passes through the usual cap of the casiugKt-o theouter end thereof, to support on its upper end, an arm Npivotally-connected with'a link 0 pivoted on the handle P of theengineers valve G. with an arm K bolted or otherwise secured to the capof the engineers valve G, as shown in Fig. 2. The pivot of the arm Npasses through a slot 0 in the link 0, so that the latter has a slightmotion without moving the 5 arm N.

The operation is as follows: When the handle P of the engineers valve Gis in the first The casing K is provided 9c or release position orint'he second or running position, then the disk valve L has its port aas well as the channel I), cut off from the port 0, so that air is shut01f from the forward end of the pipe D. When the engineer moves thehandle P from the third or lap position to the fourth or service stopposition, then the link 0 moves'the arm N a sufficient distance to causethe valveLto register by its channel b, with the port 0 (see Fig. 4) topermit air to pass from the main reservoir F through the pipe I intocasing K, and through the port a and channel b, and port a, into thepipe J and thence to the air blast pipe D, which discharges the airthrough the nozzle D into the bend O of the sand discharge pipe 0. Thesand thus commences to run in the pipe 0 and is discharged at the lowerend C thereof, onto the track rails. As the engineer moves the handle Pquickly from the third or lap position, to the fourth or service stop,the disk valve L is further turned so that the channel b extendscompletely over the port n, thus admitting more air to the pipeD,thereby causinga full air blast to issue through the nozzle D into thebend 0. When the engineer has made the necessary reduction of the airpressure and restores the handle P to lap position, then the position ofthe valve Lis not affected and remains open,as thelink O by its slot 0'does not disturb the position of the arm N.

In order to release the brakes, the operator moves the handle P back tothe first or release position, so that the valve L again disconnects theport a and channel I), from the port 0, whereby the air blast in thepipe D ceases and consequently sand is no longer discharged onto thetrack rails. In case the engineer moves the handle P to the fifth oremergency stop then the valve L is turned so that the port a registersfully with the port 0, whereby a very strong and full air blast is hadin the pipe D and consequently a large amount of sand is quickly forceddown the pipe 0 onto the track rails. It will be seen that by thisarrangement the air blast controlling valve L is fully controlled fromthe engineers valve, that is, the engineer in manipulating the handle Pof his valve automatically operates the air blast valve L, so that theengineer need not give any attention whatever to the track sandingapparatus.

Having thus fully described our invention, we claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent- 1. In sanding apparatus, the combination withthe sand pipe, a fluid pressure pipe leading thereto, and an engineersvalve, of a valve in the fluid pressure pipe, and operative connectionsbetween the said valve and the handle or stem of the engineers valve,the engineers valve having a limited movement independent of the valvein the fluid pressure pipe, substantially as described.

2. The combination with a pipe connected with the main reservoir,separate and indesoaaee pendent of the train pipe and'discharging intothe sand pipe, of a-valvelocated in the first named pipe and having theaxis of its movable part parallel with and independent of the axis ofthe engineers valve, and alink connection between the handle or stem ofthe engineers valve and the stem of the last named valve, substantiallyas set forth.

3. The combination with a single fluid pressure pipe discharging intothe sand pipe, of a valve which controls the transmission of fluidpressure through said first named pipe, which valve is in a separatehousing from the housing of the engineers valve and is provided with astem, and a link connecting said stem with the handle or stem of theengineers valve of a fluid pressure brake system, substantially asdescribed.

4-. In a sanding attachment to an air brake apparatus, the circularvalve casing having an outlet port in its bottom for connection with thesand pipe and a port thereabove for connection with a fluid pressuresupply, of the disk valve resting on the bottom of the said casing,having a port to connect the first named ports, and a stem extendingthrough the casing and having an operating arm or crank to connect withthe handle or stem of the engineers valve, substantially as described.

5. A locomotive attachment comprising a fluid pressure pipe to dischargeinto the track sanding pipe and provided with a valve having a crank armon its stem, and a link having a sliding pivotal connection with saidcrank and adapted at its opposite end to be pivoted to the lever of theengineers valve of an air brake mechanism, substantially as set forth.

6. A track sanding apparatus comprising an air blast controlling valvehaving a valve proper actuated from the handle of the engineers valve,an air inlet pipe to the said valve proper and connected with the mainreservoir, an air outlet pipe connected with the said valve, and an airblast pipeinto which discharges the said air outlet pipe, the forwardcontracted end of the said air blast pipe discharging into the sanddischarge pipe, substantially as shown and described.

7. A track sanding apparatus comprising a sand box, an outlet pipeleading therefrom and having a bend, an air blast pipe discharging withits contracted end into the said bend, an air blast controlling valvecasing, having an outlet pipe connected with the said air blast pipe, avalve proper mounted to turn in the said air blast controlling valvecasing and actuated from the handle of the engineers valve, and a pipeconnecting the said air blast controlling valve with the main reservoir,substantially as shown and described.

8. A track sanding apparatus provided with a valve having a port and achannel formed on the under side of the said valve and leading from thesaid port, the said channel and port being adapted to register with anoutlet pipe, substantially as shown and described.

I 9. Atrack sanding apparatus providedwith an air blastJcontrollingvalve comprising a valve casing adapted to be supported on the engineersvalve, and provided with an air tially as described, for turning thesaid valve, the said means being connected with and controlled from thehandle of the engineers valve, substantially as shown and described.

OLIVER PLUNKETT MURRY. JAMES V. K. WALKER.

Witnesses:

H. L. WATTS, O. F. SMITH.

